


My High School Application Essays - 2017

by chocochurros



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 18:43:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12688014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocochurros/pseuds/chocochurros





	1. Humanities House

If I had to choose one word to describe myself and my relationship with the Humanities, I would say “passionate,” whether studying, working, or interacting with my peers. For my studying and writing habits, especially, I would say that there is a strong aspect of inertia present: it may be hard to get the ball rolling, but it won’t stop quickly once it’s started, to say the least. I like to view my personality, my moxie, and my words collectively as an unstoppable force when I find something I care about, whether it be a cause, a story, a fandom, or a concept. 

Arranging words to evoke feeling is simply a favorite pastime of mine as well as a point upon which I pride myself - a useful tool. These things are especially true when I decide on my own that I enjoy doing something - for example, I write a considerable amount of poetry in my spare time and I’m currently working on a novel. It’s a dream of mine to become known for my writing, something I’ve already practiced quite a bit in all sorts of genres, including songwriting, poetry, and essays, but I don’t want to be limited to only that. I also highly value the fine arts (music, acting, etc.), and reportedly have a great talent there; as a result, I would love to become a part of the ----- at ------. I feel like it would be a fantastic opportunity for me to express myself and affect an audience, since that’s really what art is all about, after all. 

I love to manipulate people’s emotions in my writing; it may sound sadistic, but when someone tells me that they cried over a piece I wrote (or perhaps that it’s their new favorite sonnet or something along those lines), it brings me great satisfaction. Nothing is quite so fulfilling as someone confirming that you’re good at something you enjoy, which in this case would be writing. This is a considerable contributing factor to the reason I write so much, both for myself and for studious reasons; I do not think I would do nearly as well in school if I didn't enjoy writing so much.

Naturally, academic composition is a far cry from pursuing one’s heart and whims, but it can also have its great moments. Some of my proudest accomplishments I never would have reached had it not been for school forcing me outside of my comfort zone: IDRP (the capstone thesis defense project of seventh grade) would be a prime example of this, as well as most of what I’ve accomplished in Media class, including documentaries, silent film. I’ve certainly learned a lot of useful information in my Humanities classes at -------, from grammar to literature to writing techniques to poetry, that I have already begun to put into use in my writing, and if I am accepted into the ------ Humanities House, I am positive that my skills will only continue to improve.


	2. Global Ecology

I would say that I spend a fair bit of time in consideration to the values and focus of the Global Ecology house. My Unitarian Universalist upbringing has inspired me to subscribe to our seven UU principles, the last (but not least) of which is “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” I fulfill this principle in a number of different ways. I try my best at all times to be a good person who benefits all those around her - and if I ever make the mistake of failing to do so, I always try to set things right afterwards. I know that I’m not perfect, and that I’m definitely no saint, but I recycle, I reign myself in when needed, I avoid harming others unless it’s absolutely necessary, I don’t litter, I do my best to resolve conflicts peacefully, I enjoy learning more about the world, I educate myself on current issues, I consider perspectives other than my own, I empathize with others, I save energy and resources where I can, and I take good care of my pets. When I hear an opinion I disagree with, I try to bring the other person over to my side of the argument with calm and reasoned debate. I don’t steal, I don’t hurt others, and I don’t abuse any substances; so I’m doing relatively well. 

 

I am also aware of the world and all the people in it, having once visited the country of Belize and having made a number of friends there, some of whom barely spoke any English. Making such connections with people from different walks of life is a great opportunity for personal education and maturation. As a writer and a poet, it’s part of my calling to empathize with people wherever possible, no matter their backgrounds, to struggle to put my mind into theirs; the acts of reading and writing both help me in this goal by introducing new perspectives to me, one example being the character John Butler (also known as True Son) in Conrad Richter’s The Light in the Forest. Reading from this character’s point of view was beneficial to my mind as it trained my brain to understand things from a different outlook than I normally would without Richter’s masterful use of poetic language to interpret a scene I would normally view differently. Aside from reading, I also put myself in the shoes of others when writing: take, for example, all the poetry I write in my spare time. I once wrote a song about not underestimating those from different backgrounds, about how all human (and all, in general) life is miraculous and beautiful and should not be thrown away by rash demagogues. I also care a lot about the world and environment, knowing that my generation is inheriting a bit of a mess from those prior that we are responsible to solve, even if it’s not easy, and even if it doesn’t directly affect us or anyone we’ve met.

 

Keeping others’ points of view in mind at all times is vital to being a global (and Global) learner for several clear reasons, but mostly because it helps one become more educated on a subject, thus better equipping one to solve it, which is what the Global Ecology program is all about, after all.


	3. Hobbies essay

The four primary pastimes in which I most enjoy to engage are writing, singing, drawing, and performing. I spend an abundance of time both online and in my notebooks writing poems, essays, songs, and journal entries; I have been told that I have a great talent in writing, and I hope to only sharpen these skills in the future. (In fact, I am currently in the process of writing a novel.) The same can be said with singing, which I do at any available opportunity, be it by myself, in the hallways, or onstage; I love to do it and I’ve been told that I do it well, though perhaps I could stand to refrain a little more, something I’ve been improving on.

 

I perform regularly as well, being an active member of ------- Theatre Company and having performed in five of their productions as of yet in addition to one written by my friend (an adaptation of The Witches by Roald Dahl, to which she obtained special rights; I played two roles). I attended years of theatre camps when I was younger and only hope to engage in more as the years go on. My interest in theatre is one of the many reasons I would like to apply to this school, to become a member of your theatre program. I feel as if I could become a valuable asset to its ranks.

 

Drawing is less of a skill or talent for me and more of a hobby, but I still enjoy doing it. I do not have a great talent there, nor do I believe that I will ever gain one, but I am definitely improving. Drawing is beneficial to one’s mental health, and it helps to train one’s brain to become more observant and able to transfer thoughts and feelings from the mind or the real world onto a page, a concept which is infinitely valuable in writing, one of my legitimate; the two complement each other. I have accepted that drawing is not my strong suit, but I’m fine with that. I just like to do it for my own enjoyment.

 

It’s nearly impossible for me to attempt to choose a favorite hobby out of these inviting options; the first three all seem like irreplaceable parts of my soul and personality by now. It’s like choosing between my children; or worse, my cats. I’ll just say that I hope that, if I am accepted into this school, the programs and opportunities there provided will help me to sharpen my skills and interests as described here and to prepare me for an adulthood in which I will use these abilities for good.


	4. IB essay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I half-assed this one, whoops

If I had to choose one favorite class out of all those highlighted by the IB program, I would probably choose English for two reasons: one, it is the most associated with reading and writing, both things which I enjoy, and two: because it ties all of the other classes together in a way none of the others could. English is a class where we stretch our minds to encompass unfamiliar concepts, where complex and abstract ideas are linked together to become real; thus, it seems like the ideal candidate to represent the interconnectedness of all the other classes; sort of a best-of-all-worlds conglomeration. As much as I enjoy learning about the world and how to interpret it on my own, which in the end may be the most important skill of all, in my other courses, no class does so much to help me develop these valuable attributes as English does; so with that said, it seems safe to assume that English does the best job of all of my classes at actually schooling me, at least in a way that I remember. 

 

I mentioned before that I am a fan of both reading and writing - mostly writing, at this point, but I do still enjoy reading as a form of escapism, a pleasant pastime, and as a study of different writing styles which I can internalize as a means to improve my own. Reading and writing are both mainstays of English class, as well as (allegedly) one of my main talents and something I enjoy very much to do. I love to use my words to express, describe, and convince, but most of all to capture in-the-moment feelings in order to convey and/or evoke them in another; most of these categories go hand-in-hand. I actually write a lot more outside of school than inside, mostly poetry and songs either about sensations or about causes I care about, such as racism and caring for the environment. This is part of how I demonstrate being a global learner; by doing my part to spread a powerful message to help solve the problems ever growing more rampant in society, for that's what being a world student is all about.


End file.
